AUSTRALIAN OPEN

January 10, 2025

Nick Kyrgios

Press Conference

THE MODERATOR: Nick, welcome back to the AO. You said this week that your preparation for the tournament was day by day. How are you feeling today?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I mean, obviously had a really good return, I think a successful return to Brisbane. Had a lot of fun. Obviously carrying the greatest of all time in doubles wasn't on my résumé. Now it is. Yeah, had a really successful singles match against one of the most confident players on the tour.

Went home for a couple of days, and obviously just tried to get a bit more under my legs. Hit some more tennis balls. Obviously felt my abdomen a little bit.

Today, this morning, was out there feeling pretty good. I'm actually hitting again this afternoon to test it out a little bit and see how it feels.

As a right now, I still have three days before the tournament starts for me. Yeah, I'm just taking it day by day. Just enjoying all the moments again, being a part of the tournament, going through the hallways, locker room, seeing everyone again. It's been an emotional time for me the last couple weeks.

Yeah, I'm just enjoying being back.

THE MODERATOR: We'll open it up to questions.

Q. How difficult has it been for you mentally, such a long road back, so close to making a Grand Slam return, now you have to deal with a fresh injury concern?

NICK KYRGIOS: Yeah, I think I was talking about this yesterday. I feel like when you're injured, people think you don't play as much tennis and you're not doing as much, but you're actually doing a bit more.

I feel like I haven't been away from the game. Competitively I have been, but I don't feel like that. I feel like I've been playing more tennis, more than ever. I think me trying to emulate the match load in training, the body getting used to it again, anyone that has had an injury that's kept them out of the game for a year plus know that it's so hard to load manage, because you're trying to get ready for the match intensity.

I think that's what I was doing. After Brisbane, it was really encouraging. Obviously my body was struggling a little bit. I was like, Okay, I'm going to try to build on that. Then obviously had a little bit more of a setback.

I think it's just part of the game. Niggles. I don't think anyone really feels 100%. Look, as long as it's not something like my wrist again, I think I can manage it.

Q. One of the parts of the job is the anti-doping stuff, getting tested. Can you just talk about what it's like having to think about that on a day-to-day basis. Do you ever get worried when you see other people on tour accidentally get pinged, how much anxiety does that create for a player?

NICK KYRGIOS: Look, I don't want to speak too much about it. I think we've all been speaking about it. I feel like that's the only thing tennis has been speaking about the last six months.

But for me, to answer your question, like, I mean, I've been tested four times in the last couple months. I got tested in my home three days ago, so...

For me, it hasn't been a problem at all in my career. I've been on the tour now for 10-plus years. For me, I'm not worried at all 'cause I know that I'm really, really on top of what's going on in my team. I'm very confident in myself that I'm not going to be accidentally putting something in my system.

Q. How's the body feeling after that brief session this morning? There are a few photographers and media who were asked not to attend that session. Was there any reasoning behind that?

NICK KYRGIOS: I mean, the media loves me for some reason. I'm not too sure why. So I'm not surprised I saw cameras and things out there.

It wasn't actually supposed to be a closed session at all. I think it was a misunderstanding. I didn't mind seeing the cameras and the people out there. It was good and created a bit more of an atmosphere and a vibe.

Any time I get to play, whether it's a match or practice, in front of these fans, there were so many kids out there, I think that's special for me that I have noticed that I'm a bit of a role model for these kids.

It was good. No, I didn't mind it at all. Body is feeling okay after today's session. I'm going again with Perricard at 4:30.

Q. What do you think you bring to an event like this? What does the event have when you're playing in it that it might not when you're not playing in it? Does that weigh on you in any way?

NICK KYRGIOS: That's a good question.

I think, I mean, we watch sport because we want personalities. I think we watch tennis as well, it's that one-on-one aspect, now there's coaching allowed, but I really enjoyed tennis because it was 1-vs-1. You had to watch that person figure it out over a four- or five-hour period. You saw the amount of emotions that one person goes under. It's like drama, theater.

For me being personally back, I think it adds a bit of question marks to like what is going to happen today. I love that. Every time I step out on court, I don't know if I'm going to be super controversial in a good or bad way.

Throughout my career, it hasn't always been good, but it's added a lot of excitement to the game. I think it's important. There's so many good players on the tour now. I think there's not so many contrasting personalities.

I think it's healthy that I'm back and I'm playing. Doesn't really weigh on me, though. I've always been someone that's played my brand of tennis, and I guess my personality, I haven't changed since I was 10 years old. Anyone that knows me knows that I've been just how I am now.

I think it's good to be back. I think it's important. I think the sport was getting a bit mundane.

Q. When you were out, I know you were around the tour commentating, watching what's going on, when you're out for quite a long period of time, is there a fear that the tour has moved on? Did you ever feel like that was a concern when you came back?

NICK KYRGIOS: It's definitely the changing of the guard, that's for sure. I mean, when I was saying like Sinner or Alcaraz at that age, when I was playing some of my best tennis, I had to get through four of the greatest of all time in their prime trying to chase legacy stats. It was very hard for me...

I'm not saying I always ran into them. But realistically, what are the chances of me winning a slam if you've got to beat all three of those guys in their prime? Virtually impossible.

I definitely feel like there's a changing of the guard. There's such an amazing crop of young players coming in now. They're incredible talents. You look at someone like Fonseca as well, who is 17, 18 years old, playing ridiculous tennis. He's like the next, next generation. He's going to be knocking on the door pretty soon, as well.

I definitely don't feel like the media thinks I've moved on. That seems to be the only thing they can talk about. I would love to just fly under the radar, if possible. Doesn't seem like that's going to be happening.

Q. Is there ever a fear that tennis has moved up a level and you won't be able to cope with it?

NICK KYRGIOS: Oh, so you mean like my level, my actual tennis level?

Q. Your confidence in your ability.

NICK KYRGIOS: I've beaten pretty much everyone that the sport has put in me before. I'm always going to back my ability.

People are always going to say, Be realistic, you're not going to be same. I unfortunately don't have that mindset. I always have utmost confidence in my ability, if I'm playing my style of tennis, my unpredictability, I have a chance against anyone. That's the mindset you need to have against the people.

If I walked out on the court for the first time against Nadal, Djokovic, Federer, and was realistic, I probably wouldn't have won. A kid from Canberra going out there, and beating those... like, you can't be realistic. You have to think, like, I think I'm the best tennis player in the world. Is that realistic? Probably not. But I think that when I'm out there.

I think, yeah, if I play any of these top guys now, I have to have that mindset. Otherwise I'm going to be blown off the court.

My confidence comes from my belief in my own ability.

Q. Some players, when they come back from breaks, they talk about being refreshed. How different does it feel for you not having played?

NICK KYRGIOS: I guess I don't feel like fresh or recharged. I feel like I haven't been around this kind of Grand Slam. I forgot the amount of emotions that you feel, the nervousness when the draw comes out, seeing all these guys in the locker room.

Our sport is truly strange. It's the strangest dynamic. You're literally showering, eating, spending time with your competitors that you're going to go out and literally go to war against. It's such a strange dynamic compared to any other sport.

Yeah, I feel at home, I guess. The Australian Open has been an amazing event for me and for many others. But I feel back at home being at a Grand Slam. The preparation and the team environment, stuff, it's pretty cool.

Q. You're pretty good mates about Djokovic. Obviously he's come out and said he thinks he was allegedly poisoned here three years ago during a hotel quarantine. Any reaction that? Have you heard about that? Have you spoken to him about that?

NICK KYRGIOS: No, I haven't spoken to him. I didn't even know that. I'll stand on... We treated him like shit, that's for sure. We wouldn't have done that.

Q. Have you made a final commitment to the greatest of all time and will show up in Belgrade and do an exhibition?

NICK KYRGIOS: If he pays me (smiling). I think he can pay me a pretty good amount.

I'll happily come. I don't even want to play tennis there. I want to party in Belgrade. I want to party with Djokovic in Serbia, like that. That will go down as the greatest of all time.

Q. It's a big moment for your opponent making his Australian Open debut. How much do you know about Jacob?

NICK KYRGIOS: He's been knocking on the door with some pretty good results the last six to nine months. He's obviously very confident. He was actually in my hometown the other week playing a challenger there. I saw him there.

He's extremely confident. You got to be careful with these guys. I know players like me, we do have a target on our back. These guys go out there trying to play their best tennis. I've experienced that. When guys go out there confident on their debut, they tend to play a bit higher and better than their actual base level. I'm not underestimating anyone in this event.

Me personally, I haven't played many tennis matches. I'm still trying to find my feet as well. At the same time I'll do my research and be well aware of what he does well.

He's obviously been in pretty good form, too. Pretty sure he made things pretty challenging for Novak at Wimbledon. Anyone who can do that on such a big stage has that X factor there. I know he's being to be willing to embrace that challenge against me in Australia. It's going to be good.

As I said, there's a lot of time between now and then. I'm going to just take it one step at a time.

Q. Can I ask you from a pundit's perspective, looking at Alex and Alexei and Jordan, what they've done in the last 12 months, what have you seen in them? Where do you see men's tennis in the country?

NICK KYRGIOS: I mean, men's tennis in Australia right now is ridiculously strong. We have a lot of players. It's very deep.

I'll start with de Minaur.

I remember he was our orange boy at Davis Cup. We'd won the tie. He needed to have some extra practice. I was like, I'll go out there and teach this little kid a lesson.

Like, I brought a beer out there, I remember. So I was like, This guy can't be that good. It was a really close set. I was in my prime. He was only 17. I was like, This guy is going to be really solid.

To see how well he's kind of taken it upon himself to be our No. 1 player for the last three, four years. He's grown. To deal with everything. The pressure of being our No. 1 player, I was there. I didn't always deal with it the best.

He's been a ridiculously good role model. I genuinely think he's a threat at any Grand Slam and any tournament he plays. He's made quarterfinals of I think every slam but AO. I think he did.

He's got a chance to win a slam, for sure. I think he does everything right. He's improved little things in his game where I thought he needed to improve. He's done that.

Obviously Pop is dangerous whenever he's feeling good with that serve. Winning the Masters event...

I'm super happy for these guys because they put in all the hard work. I know Tomo. I've known Tomo since basically he was in diapers. Just to see how well he's transitioning. Finally got into that seeding at a Grand Slam where it can really open up for him. He's more than capable of doing some damn, as well.

All these Aussie guys are really good. They're really, really good. We have a good crop of young guys coming through, as well. It's a good time to be an Australian tennis fan.